SV Paradox

April 10, 2007

When SV PARADOX (Tom KG0JS) failed to show up for his regular scheduled radio chat with fellow sailors SV LIGHTFOOT (John N0PE), SV DRAGON FLY (Helen) and SV MYSTIQUE (Shari KF6ZWE) their concerns were brought to 14.300. The initial contact was Bud KC4LCD at 10:20am EDT. This item was passed to the MMSN at 12:00pm

Previously, USCG Petty Officer Jennifer Godfrey was trying to make sense of a short duration EPIRB signal from PARADOX. This was the moment Tom, inside the overturned hull first turned on the EPIRB. The hull shielded any further reception. However, it was not until the following morning, April 11, 2007, at approximately 11:00am, when Tom was able to punch through the hull and brought the EPIRB out with him, was it able to paint a location again.

Late Wednesday, Tom and Stenna were located at 25° 00' N 84° 26'W by U.S. Coast Guard search plane and just over an hour later they were plucked up to the safety of a Hercules H60 helicopter.

From the moment of the launch of a sea S&R plane until the hospital briefing 11:30 PM that night, K5SIV maintained communications with USCG and MMSN, offering the nets assistance in any way.

During a patched phone call, K5SIV conveyed the well wishes and concerns from the many vessels who were very concerned about their safety. These vessels ranged from the Gulf of Mexico, to Belize, to points in the Southern Caribbean. Tom and Stenna were in excellent spirits.

Additional stations involved or acting as Net Controls during times of traffic:

NP2CB, VP5DB, NQ5H, KA5E. NN2NN, KR4OR, N0PE (S/V LIGHTFOOT), KF6ZWE (S/V MYSTIQUE), N5OTB (S/V VALENTINA), KB1DEC (S/V SHAMAL), and many one-time relays I failed to note.

For this operator the most poignant moment in handling this was the late visit with Tom Galbraight, the joy in his voice on being saved and his absolute confidence in 14.300 being a place to go for emergency help.

SV Paradox was last known to be approximately 30 miles north of Cuba and adrift, upside down. Salvage efforts are not known at this time.

Bob K5SIV